EA courts Korea

NBA Street, Battlefield named as two of the "three or four" online games on the docket for new $21M Asian studio.

Since former EA president and COO John Riccitiello once again took up the reins of Electronics Arts in February 2007 as CEO, the worldwide megapublisher has undergone extensive restructuring. In addition to realigning the company under four new divisions in June, the publisher has undertaken a number of business ventures, including dropping $860 million on superdeveloper BioWare/Pandemic, as well as closing down one of its more high-profile studios, EA Chicago.

EA's development-studio shuffle doesn't appear to be over quite yet. South Korean news outlet Chosun reports EA will be opening a branch in the tech-savvy nation sometime this year. The studio, which will reportedly receive 20 billion wan (about $21 million) in investment, will primarily comprise Korean developers, but it will be helmed by senior producer Danny Isaac, whose previous credits include EA's FIFA Soccer franchise.

Chosun reports the new studio will create "three or four new online games," and EA hopes to use it as a hub for further expansion into the Asian market. Last year, EA purchased Korean company Neowiz for a reported $105 million in a similar move to expand into the Asian market with new online titles.

"The size of the studio hasn't been decided yet," said an EA rep to Chosun. "First we plan to recruit dozens of workers to develop the 'NBA Street' and 'Battle Field' online games, but if we have more applicants than expected, we may increase the size of the studio and develop another game."

29 Comments

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 7:03 pm PT

    Can you imagine an online gaming service like Steam or GameTap on Korea's high-speed Internet services? * drool *

    It gives new meaning to being an LPB...

  • mrkame16

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 9:00 am PT

    $860 Million + $21 Million + $ 105 Million = $986,000,000 million in investments....Damn thats alot of money!

  • onething77

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 7:00 am PT

    Asians are smart...woo hhoooo!

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 5:23 am PT

    Well diablobasher,

    I do agree that their have been a number of decent companies but really im still waiting for a game that gives a real 'umph' so to speak. I mean Capcom came out with Okami and that had an awesome design to it, also never winter nights developed by Bioware i believe (whom also made Mass Effect ). Now these are games that are original and have a nice edge to them. Now Lord of the rings wasn't that great, a number of flaws and a somewhat repetitive script makes me fall asleep (although i have to admit at the time i thought quite spectacular). Recent movies like Children of men, The Departed, Fight Club, Snatch, Red Dragon, Shaun of the Dead. And older movies like Full metal Jacket, Psycho, Pulp Fiction, Apocalypse now, The shining ect. Really, in comparison, i think the movie industry has done far better than the computer game industry. BUT it is 70 years ahead. So really there is a bit of catch up.

  • jocaju

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 4:14 am PT

    EA su**!! Proud EA free for 3+ years.

  • raze-boi

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 3:15 am PT

    Korean games are not that good, people all over the world just like the Korean games because they are free, now with the dumb EA.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 15, 2008 1:26 am PT

    bunyipbrown:

    Team Ninja, Fueto Umida, Suda 51, Bioware, Atlus JPN, Capcom and a whole bunch more i can't think of off the top of my head. It's actually people like EA that put gaming 'on par' with the film industry by releasing yearly crap. I mean seriously, the movie industry has been a complete joke since Lord of the Rings, and even before that it was hardly great.

    Unless your a moron who thought Golden Compass was the best thing ever...

  • PSdual_wielder

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 11:36 pm PT

    Before bush's government goes out they're going to frame EA for making nuclear weapons due to their high-profile quest for world dominance.

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 9:47 pm PT

    Oh and the point of bargain bin games is to make it cheap sell it cheap and hopefully get a profit, in short... to make money. Which isnt what im talking about.

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 9:14 pm PT

    mtron32 there are a number of great companies out there that do focus on actually making great games. Yes money is required, but for some minds that isn't motivation. Making truly unique games, that is new and never been done before is what is needed to truly push gaming up to the next level and on par with the movie industry. Sure EA are rich but they have dozens of the same title so we buy practically the same title each year for $60, no wonder they're rich. Now obviously they have money in mind and don't care much for the advancement of computer games as a whole, so congrats on gaining millions EA. The computer game industry needs what had happened to the movie industry. People like Quintin Tarrentino, George Lucas and Stanley Kubrick who didn't bring out run of the mill movies, but who truly changed the industry. You can see that in people like Nintendo's Miyamoto.

  • gnutux

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 8:53 pm PT

    EA kind of sounds like Microsoft ... just keep on buying those companies to get their feet into some more technology and geographic area .... does it mean the next Borg will be EA when Microsoft faulters?

  • fallofmanps3

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 8:51 pm PT

    wow this should turn out great for EA.

  • Jehuty08

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 8:50 pm PT

    EA is now one step closer to world dominance.

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 8:34 pm PT

    I cant wait for that new battlefield game to come out. Hopefully its as good as BF2 and 1942 ... 2142 and Vietnam were both addonish flops imo ...

  • IIBlackknightII

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 8:00 pm PT

    EA is getting more expanded thats great.

  • Genexi2

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:57 pm PT

    Good ol' outsourcing.

  • PandaBear86

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:56 pm PT

    EA just keeps getting bigger. They are buying companies left and right. Thankfully, EA are not forcing harsh deadlines on games like Spore, so I hope the same things happen with Bioware games.

  • WolfWatch

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:41 pm PT

    "recieve 20 billion wan " lol, it is spelled won. SKorea Rocks

  • Nicolas00-0g

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:37 pm PT

    Since that this studio closes after two years, I'll love it.

  • RainOfTerror

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:24 pm PT

    they have been developing FIFA Online (http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=35142) and other multiplayer titles specifically for the Asian market for a year or two now ..

    They are making NBA Street online, Battlefield Online ( http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=43433) , and so forth, tailored for the Asian market, they most likely won't get released in North America, or even announced for that matter.

  • gin_rummy89

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:17 pm PT

    Damn you EA, you just keep expanding into other genres, why not instead put some resources into making a good game for genre you already have.

  • MaxCadillac

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:09 pm PT

    Not MMO's. Trust me.

  • Absolutezerr

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:05 pm PT

    Do they mean MMO's? How can Battlefield and NBA Street be MMO's? And why would the NBA appeal to Koreans?

  • mtron32

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 7:01 pm PT

    bunyipbrown :
    "hmm i guess it goes to show where some peoples priorities are."

    What do you think they're in this industry for? Money is what ALL companies are about at the end of the day. Money keeps the doors open. Games are getting as big as films are and I don't see much indie game development going on other than XBL stuff or bargain bin PC games. Even a small studio nowdays require some serious backing to get started.

  • bunyipbrown

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:54 pm PT

    Im so tired of EA trying to Monopolize the gaming industry. Half their games arent even that great. And then they bring out recycled gargled crap every year. Why don't they do something dangerous, go out on a whim and make an original decent game for once. Im tired of Madden, Medal of honor and fifa. Really they need to revamped their outook on gaming and the ideas that go into it, not to maximize profits. hmm i guess it goes to show where some peoples priorities are.

  • nazraq

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:37 pm PT

    why change the battlefield franchise? the guys at d.i.c.e. are battlefield. this makes no sense.

  • DonutTrooper

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:14 pm PT

    Hey, while you're at it, add BF3 support for Vista players to play against us OS X players, we'll feel lonely.

  • Crysis_Pwns

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 6:13 pm PT

    Will this game studio be powered by Nuclear Plants?

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